Rail-joint.



.T. T. TODD.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED FBBJ, 1912.

4 1,043,645. Y Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

f f 0 W m H I ends of railroad rails is such as to admit of to compensate for the part removed from.-

UNITED srArEs mm orriicn.

JAMES '1. 'I ODlD, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES T. TODD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jacksonville, in the county of) Duval and State of Florida, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

The ordinary joint between the adjacent a relative play which is a prolific source-of annoyance to the traveling public-as well injurious to the rolling stock because of the resultant pound asthe-wheels of the cars pass over the joint from one rail to the other.

The present invention provides a jointof the type which confinesthe adjacent ends of contiguous rails so as to guard against vertical-or lateral play, thereby wholly overcomingethe pounding action common to the ordinary ra l joint.-

In accordance with the present invention the endsof adjacent rails are; similarly formed, the web of each rail end projecting slightly beyond the extremity. of the ball or tread and having its lower port-ion and the base of the rail cut away for a short distance. A chair,'joint piece, or connector is interposed between the adjacent ends ofcont-igua ous rails and comprises a b'ase, side bars and a tread sectlon, the several parts beingoi integral formation, and the base having a thickened portion intermediate of itsedges extending upwardly between .the side bars the lower portion of the webs of the rail ends, and the tread piece filling the space formed between the treads of the rail ends when the latter are properly-assembled.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of construction and combination of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the appended claim] Referrin to the drawing, forming a part.

of" the specification, Figure 1 is a side view of a rail joint embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the rail ends in position, the chair or joint piece being omitted.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of thejoint piece. Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line m -m of iorresponding and like parts are' referred to in the following .descriptlom and 1nd1- Application'fi1ed=February 7, 1912. Serial No; 675,977.

formation.

cated in all the views of the drawing, by the tance, as indicated at 6. The base of the railend is cut away for a distance equal to the length ofthe cut away portion 6 of the web, as lnd cated at ,7. When the rail ends are placed together in the position which they will occupy in the completed railroad the ends of the web extensions 0 will conic together, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 2, leaving a space Sbetween the heads or tread portions 4.

The chair, joint piece, or connector comprises a base 9, side bars 10 and a tread piece 11, the several parts being'of integral The base ,is thickened intermediate its' longitudinal edges, as shown at 12, andthis thickened portion extends upwardly into the space formed between the side bars 10 and fills the space formed by cutting away the parts 6 of the webs of the rail ends. The base 9 is of a length to come between the extremities formed by the cut away, portions 7 of the base portionsof the rail ends. The thickened part 12 strengtlr ens the base 9 and at the same time receives the lower edges of the end portionsor' the webs of the rail ends. The side bars 10 are equal in length tot-he base 9 and their upper edges come beneath the side portions of the head or tread portions of the rail ends. .The tread piece-ll serves to connect the upper edges of the side bars 10 and to fill the space S and rests upon the extensions?) of the web portions of the rail ends.

When the parts comprising the rail joint are assembled the side bars 10 embrace the sides of the web portions of the rail ends and are secured thereto by means ot the bolts or' like fastenings 13. Relative vertical play between the rail ends is prevented by having the extensions 5 of the web portions coming beneath the tread piece 11,.the

latter in turn being supported by means of the side bars 10 and-the said extensions 5,-

with the result that a smooth and continuous upbearing surface is maintained at the joint, therebypreventing any pounding action or any lateral play. 7

' From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the'z advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily 'apparent to those skilled in the art, to which the'inve'ntion appertains, and while I have 1 described the principle of operation of the invent-ion, together with the device which I now consider to be the. best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown-is merely illustrative, and that such changes :may .be made when de-.

y sired as are Within the 'scope of the claim appended hereto.

lar formation-each having its 'web' portion projecting a short distance beyond the extremit-y of the ball or tread and having the lowerportion of the web and the base cut away for a short distance from the extremity, the rail ends when properly assembled having a space between the extremities of their tread portions, and a chair or joint p1ece comprlslng a base, side bars and a tread piece of integral formation, the base being of a length to fill the space formed by cutting away the base portions of the rail ends and. the side bars embracing opposite sides of the webs of the rail ends and fitting closetagainst the lower side of the projecting portions of the head of the rail ends and said tread piece filling the space formed between the extremities of thetread portions of the rail ends. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES T. TODD.

Witnesses:

' C. H. CHESNUT,

F. N. S'roRMoN'r.

Copies of-this patent may be .obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, I). C. 

